What is a line break in a poem?

A line break in poetry is the point where one line ends and the next begins. Unlike prose, where sentences flow continuously, line breaks in poetry help shape rhythm, pace, and meaning. They create pauses, emphasize words or ideas, and affect how you experience the poem’s sound and structure.

Here’s a snippet from Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”:

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

Each line break encourages a slight pause, guiding the poem’s gentle rhythm and highlighting important phrases.

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